5 school districts put bond to voters

Cash to build or upgrade learning sites

With fewer dollars coming from the state and smaller budgets to make ends meet, five school districts in Shasta County are seeking voter approval for five bond measures in November's election.

Each of the bonds will be used by the districts to improve aging facilities or build new ones. Gateway Unified School District is seeking the most at $19 million; Happy Valley Union Elementary School District is seeking the least at $3.4 million.

The bonds require a 55 percent approval from voters and generally are repaid over 30 years. Some of the districts are using consulting firms to help them better understand how much support they'll have among voters in their district.

Using a consulting firm, Enterprise Elementary School District earlier this year passed a $34 million bond with 56.2 percent of the vote for new construction and modernization at its school sites.

Many of the school districts acknowledge that, given the current economic climate, this isn't the best year to ask for bond approval. However, officials have said they've seen support for bonds among their parent groups.

"The feedback we're getting is very favorable," said Deidra Hoffman, superintendent of the Pacheco Union Elementary School District.

"I think our parents are very supportive of our district," said Frank Adelman, superintendent of the Columbia Elementary School District.

He also said the influx of bond money can help the local economy. Much of the construction and improvements paid for by the bond money is performed by local contractors, he said.

"A poor economy is a good time to build," he said.

Following is a look at each bond and how the districts plan to use the money.

Pacheco Union Elementary School District/p>

The plan: Modernization of its two schools, Prairie Elementary School, which was built in 1965, and Pacheco Elementary School, which was built in 1949.

The cost: $30 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Cascade Union Elementary School District

Bond Measure C: $12.4 million.

The plan: Modernization of its four schools, including repairs, replacements, updates and improvements to classrooms across the district. The bond also will pay for technology upgrades at all its schools and heating and air conditioning improvements.

The cost: $30 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Columbia Elementary School District

Bond Measure D: $9.5 million

The plan: If the bond passes, the district would be eligible for another $5 million matching grant from the state. With the combined $14.5 million, the district would build a new school next to Mountain View Middle School in Redding to replace Columbia Elementary School, which currently has 38 portable classrooms on its campus to accommodate its student body. Columbia last passed a $5 million bond in 1995.

The cost: $30 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Happy Valley Union Elementary School District

Bond Measure E: $3.4 million.

The plan: Construction of a new gym at Happy Valley Elementary School.

The cost: Ending this year is a tax of $60 per $100,000 of assessed property value in the district. If the new bond passes property owners would then have a tax of $30 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Gateway Unified School District

Bond Measure G: $19 million

The plan: Construction of new multipurpose rooms for Buckeye School of the Arts and Grand Oaks Elementary School; a cafeteria expansion at Central Valley High School and a new media center for Shasta Lake School.

The cost: The bond won't raise taxes for property owners. It will keep in place a tax residents already have been paying — $49 per $100,000 of assessed property value.